Qatar Tourism and Old Doha Port held talks with five cruise operators at Seatrade Cruise Med 2026 as Qatar seeks to expand its presence on Gulf itineraries.
Qatar targets new cruise opportunities after talks with international operators
Emirates Airline and MSC Cruises expand fly-cruise partnership at Arabian Travel Market
Emirates and MSC Cruises have signed an agreement at Arabian Travel Market expanding their fly-cruise partnership across distribution, passenger handling, crew travel, and loyalty.
Regent Seven Seas launches fleetwide Pastry Academy with Butter Book
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has launched a new fleetwide pastry training programme in partnership with culinary education platform The Butter Book.
AROYA Cruises expands Saudi talent programme with new student training class
Cruise Saudi, the parent company of AROYA Cruises, has launched the third edition of its AROYA Cruises Ambassador Program.
Royal Caribbean sees strong early demand for Celebrity River Cruises start-up
Royal Caribbean Group expects its new Celebrity River Cruises brand to become a significant growth driver, with executives citing premium pricing and strong demand from guests of both Celebrity Cruises and Royal […]
Port Elizabeth cruise calls grow 18% in 2025/26, injecting R110m+ into economy
Cruise passenger arrivals in Nelson Mandela Bay increased by 18% during the 2025/26 season, contributing an estimated R111 million to the local economy.
Cruise Saudi plans further expansion after launching Arabia’s 1st cruise line
Having launched the Arab world’s first homegrown cruise line and opened five cruise gateways across Saudi Arabia, Cruise Saudi is entering its next phase of growth.
DP World explores Fujairah Port to diversify beyond Strait of Hormuz
DP World is exploring a new port in Fujairah to provide an alternative gateway beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
Royal Caribbean CEO says impact of Middle East conflict akin to ‘stubbing toe’
Royal Caribbean Group expects cruise bookings to recover quickly following disruption caused by the recent Middle East conflict, with demand already showing signs of improvement.
Where Arabian Gulf cruise market stands for 2027/28 winter season
The outlook for the 2027/28 Arabian Gulf cruise season remains uncertain, with two cruise lines cancelling deployments while others continue to back the region or have yet to confirm their plans.
Dnata unifies cruise leadership across Middle East and Asia
Dnata Travel Group has expanded its cruise leadership structure across the Middle East and Asia.
Alexandria strengthens cruise ambitions with calls by Aroya and Seven Seas Grandeur
Alexandria Port in Egypt welcomed more than 4,300 passengers and crew across two cruise calls in June.
AROYA Cruises expands market reach through Lufthansa City Center partnership
Saudi Arabian cruise line Aroya Cruises has signed a strategic partnership with Lufthansa City Center International, expanding its presence in international source markets ahead of an enlarged 2026 deployment.
Strong 2027 cruise demand after Middle East disruption suggests regional resilience
Strong forward bookings for 2027 are placing pressure on cruise capacity and pricing, as travellers delay plans following Middle East disruption and shift demand to future sailings.
How cruise lines like Carnival and Costa are reducing food waste at sea
For an industry that serves millions of meals every day, food waste has long been one of cruising’s most complex operational challenges.
Women drive South Africa cruise growth as Durban strengthens homeport role
Women are emerging as the dominant segment in South Africa’s cruise market, as passenger demand continues to grow and Durban consolidates its position as the country’s primary cruise hub.
TUI Group’s cruise results highlight resilience despite Middle East disruption
TUI Group’s cruise division posted strong growth despite Middle East disruption, signalling continued confidence in underlying demand.
Cruise Master expands expedition portfolio with Lindblad partnership in GCC
Dubai-based Cruise Master has expanded its expedition cruise portfolio through a new partnership with Lindblad Expeditions, targeting growing demand for remote and experience-led travel among GCC-based travellers.
Southern Africa cruise interest rises as Gulf disruption reshapes deployments
Disruption to the cruise sector in the Arabian Gulf is prompting cruise lines to reassess regional deployments, with southern Africa emerging as an area of growing interest.
World Travel & Tourism Council reinforces cruise sector resilience during Suez voyage
More than 300 tourism leaders gathered aboard Crystal Serenity in Egypt to discuss recovery across the Middle East amid ongoing geopolitical disruption.
You must be logged in to post a comment.